Grasslands are vital support systems for our existence,with grasses being the most important plant family on earth - in numbers of species, biomass, land area covered, diversity of habitats and value to man. A staggering 100 plant, 12 bird, six mammal and two butterfly species are endemic to this ecoregion in South Africa. Also, the basal cover and numerous wetlands associated with the grasslands serve to capture rainfall, filter it and then release it gradually. This ensures a sustained supply of high quality water into the rivers.

Yet, despite the vital role they play, more than 60% of South Africa's grasslands have been irreversibly transformed and only 2% is being formally conserved. It's a recipe for disaster, but the Ekangala Grassland Project, a Green Trust* project based in Wakkerstroom, hopes to change that situation by establishing a co-operative conservation model for an area of approximately one million hectares in the highland moist grasslands of Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State provinces.

Traditionally, these areas have been used for livestock farming which has allowed the natural ecological processes to continue relatively undisturbed. However, increasingly, areas are being transformed by unsustainable land use and afforestation. Ultimately, these practices will have a major impact on the water supply of the country.

'We are making progress in consulting with the different stakeholders, in order to obtain their input and support for the project,' says Christine Lambrechts, Project Co-ordinator. 'The simple fact is that if landowners cannot make a living from land kept as grasslands they will be forced to convert to other, less ecologically friendly activities. A great deal of effort will have to be put into helping farmers find alternative sources of income from their lands. We are going to have to consider all possibilities, such as eco-tourism, bird-watching and hunting.'

The challenge will be to achieve conservation objectives while at the same time meet the material needs and aspirations of people living in the area. WWF-SA is also acitvely involved in establishing a National Grassland Initiative which will contribute towards a national conservation plan for grasslands. This will be a critical move to secure the valuable ecological services which grasslands provide to humans.

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